Editing Galápagos Islands (section)

==Demographics==
The Galápagos Islands have experienced significant demographic changes over the past century, marked by substantial population growth and evolving community dynamics.[[File:A woman stands beside several children on a Galapagos Island beach (7005078245 cropped).jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Ecuadorian people|Ecuadorian children]] on a Galápagos beach in the 1920s]]

=== Population growth over time ===

* 1941: Approximately 810 inhabitants.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Galápagos |url=https://www.galapagos.org/about_galapagos/history/ |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=Galápagos Conservancy |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Golias |first=Kelsey |date=2024-02-06 |title=Galapagos First Inhabitants |url=https://www.galapagosislands.com/blog/galapagos-inhabitants/ |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=Galapagos Travel Center |language=en-US}}</ref>
* 1960s: Population increased to around 3,000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Galapagos Islands {{!}} Places {{!}} WWF |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/the-galapagos |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=World Wildlife Fund |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
* 1972: Census recorded 3,488 residents.
* 1980s: Population exceeded 15,000.
* 2010: 25,124 inhabitants.
* 2022: Census reported 28,583 residents.

This rapid growth has been influenced by factors such as increased tourism and migration from mainland [[Ecuador]]. The permanent resident population has been growing at approximately 6.4% annually, compared to 2.1% on the mainland.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population growth and Land zoning in Galapagos |url=https://www.discoveringgalapagos.org.uk/discover/sustainable-development/a-sustainable-galapagos/population-growth-zoning/\}}</ref>

=== Ethnic Composition ===
The majority of Galápagos residents are Ecuadorian Mestizos, descendants of Spanish colonists and indigenous Native Americans who migrated primarily from mainland Ecuador.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Galapagos Guide {{!}} Galapagos Demographics and Statistics {{!}} Galapagos Travel Guide {{!}} Galapagos For Less |url=https://www.latinamericaforless.com/galapagos/travel-guides/galapagos-guide-demographics-statistics.php |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=www.latinamericaforless.com}}</ref> Additionally, there are descendants of early European and American settlers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Who lives in the Galapagos Islands? |url=https://santacruzgalapagoscruise.com/who-lives-in-the-galapagos/ |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=santacruzgalapagoscruise.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Urbanization ===
Approximately 85% of the population resides in designated human-use areas, which constitute about 3.3% of the archipelago's land mass. The remaining area is protected as part of the national park.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-08 |title=Human History of Galápagos |url=https://exhibits.library.uvic.ca/spotlight/galapagos/feature/human-history-of-galapagos |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=Humans, History and Ecology in Galápagos - Digital Exhibits |language=en}}</ref>

==== Tourism Impact ====
The Galápagos Islands attract a substantial number of tourists annually, significantly influencing the local economy and contributing to demographic changes. In 2022, the islands recorded 268,000 visitors, reflecting a 96% increase compared to 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.galapagos.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/GNPD-2022-ANNUAL-REPORT.pdf|title=Annual Report of Galapagos Visitors in 2022}}</ref> Prior to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], tourism accounted for nearly 80% of the Galápagos economy.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Burbano |first=Diana V. |last2=Valdivieso |first2=Juan Carlos |last3=Izurieta |first3=Juan Carlos |last4=Meredith |first4=Thomas C. |last5=Ferri |first5=Diego Quiroga |date=2022-11-01 |title=“Rethink and reset” tourism in the Galapagos Islands: Stakeholders' views on the sustainability of tourism development |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666957922000258 |journal=Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=100057 |doi=10.1016/j.annale.2022.100057 |issn=2666-9579|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-14 |title=The Galápagos Islands: Economy over Ecosystems |url=https://hir.harvard.edu/the-galapagos-islands-economy-over-ecosystems/ |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=Harvard International Review |language=en}}</ref> This heavy reliance on tourism has led to economic benefits, including employment opportunities for over two thousand residents. However, the increasing number of tourists has also raised concerns about environmental sustainability and the preservation of the islands' unique ecosystems.<ref>{{Cite web |title=economy Archives |url=https://www.discoveringgalapagos.org.uk/tag/economy/ |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=Discovering Galapagos |language=en-US}}</ref>